Rodney Davis Becomes Third Congressman In A Week To Report Positive COVID Test

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 09: Committee ranking member Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL)) speaks during a hearing before the House Administration Committee January 9, 2020 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held... WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 09: Committee ranking member Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL)) speaks during a hearing before the House Administration Committee January 9, 2020 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on "2020 Election Security-Perspectives from Voting System Vendors and Experts." (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) on Wednesday became the third congressman in just over one week to announce he has tested positive for coronavirus.

Davis said in a statement that he was prompted to take a test after an unusual temperature reading Wednesday.

The Illinois congressman said that aside from a higher temperature he is “showing no symptoms at this time” and that he feels “fine.”

The congressman pledged to “serve my constituents virtually from home while I quarantine.”

Davis said that after consulting with the Office of the Attending Physician of Congress and local county health officials, his office is contacting to any constituents he had met in person in the past 48 hours. He also announced that he will postpone his office’s public events in the coming days “until I receive a negative test.” 

Davis’ coronavirus announcement follows the diagnoses of two other members of Congress last week, including Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ)  on Saturday and Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) last Wednesday. Communications director for Davis, Aaron DeGroot, told CNN that the congressman had not been in contact with either Gohmert or Grijalva. 

Following Gohmert’s announcement last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered a broad mask mandate requiring all House members and staff to wear masks in the House chamber and all House office buildings. 

Fifteen other members of Congress had announced positive tests or presumed infections for coronavirus since the pandemic began earlier this year, including eight Republicans and seven Democrats, according to Reuters.

Davis said that his staffers in his office “take COVID-19 very seriously” and “have always followed and will continue to follow CDC guidelines.”

“All of us must do our part,” Davis said, encouraging people to wear masks and practice social distancing. “That’s what it will take to get through this pandemic.”

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. Why am I not surprised

  2. Shouldn’t have gotten tested, then it would be just a fever.

    Traitor trying to make his President look bad.

  3. "The Illinois congressman said that aside from a higher temperature he is “showing no symptoms at this time” and that he feels “fine.”

    and yet the Orange Blot on western civilization still continues , although if he did catch it they would never admit it
    Hell if he died they would be reluctant to admit it
    "He going to Walter Reed for an early start on his Physical " His death will in no way affect the campaign

  4. And Jared would just continue doing all his work…

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

55 more replies

Participants

Avatar for valgalky23 Avatar for paulw Avatar for daveminnj Avatar for jw1 Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for jackster Avatar for wordtoyamamma Avatar for epicurus Avatar for becca656 Avatar for dont Avatar for sickneffintired Avatar for lastroth Avatar for go2goal Avatar for tao Avatar for edhedh Avatar for bankerpup Avatar for castor_troy Avatar for dannydorko Avatar for cub_calloway Avatar for maximus Avatar for 10c Avatar for the_loan_arranger Avatar for rascal_crone Avatar for Mikebeee

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: